Internal scratcher for match boxes



Dec. 25, 1934. R. s. PULLEN 1,985,837

INTERNAL SCRATCHER FOR MATCH BOXES Filed Nov. 25, 1929 the movement of the slidable portion.

Patented Dec. 25, 1934 UNITED IT T IN ERNAL SCRATCH'ER FOR MAToHlBoXEs Rodney s. Pullen, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor it: PullenliteCompany, Philadelphia, Pa., a corpration of Pennsylvania Application November- 23, 1929, Serial No. 409,312

.2 Claims. (o1;- 2oe--34) A further purpose is to provide a matchbox adapted to be placed in a striking position when the boxis closed and which strikes as the: match is'withdrawn.." 1

" A- further purpose is'to facilitate theuse and" portioning the ignition of theso-calledheadless matches, thus effecting asavinginthe volume of match head materialrequired.

A further purpose is to apply ignition material to the interior of thematch holder, preferabl at the end of the carrier or cover. a r

e A further purpose is to provide more space for advertising on the exterior of the match box.

Further purposes will appear in the speciflca tion and-in the claims.

I have elected to illustrate several forms of. my invention, selecting however forms which are practical and eflicient in operation and which well meet the needs of service.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a match box in open position, showing my invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 but in closed position, illustrating a match in position for striking.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. 1

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but with the match carrier in open position and in engagement with a stop.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 with a match shown in position for striking.

Figure 7 is an inverted perspective view of the lid or cover, showing the opposite end to that seen in Figure 1. v

Figure 8 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing a modification.

material to the interior of the trays orcoversof match boxes, so that theuser may select a single match when the box tray is inan openiposition and then pull the cover over. the tray, allowing the match to project through the end of. the box, or. from the top of the tray, theinatch head being held against thefignition' material. rByla further. movement of the match-outwardlyTthe match is then lighted against the igniting material. 1

In Figure 1, I show a match box 10 comprising a match tray 11 and a cover 12.

The tray 11 is provided with a bottom 13, sides 14 and 15 and ends '16 and .l'l-ancl is open at its top, 18.

A cover 12, providedwith top'and bottom'portions 19and 20, side walls 21 and 22 and open ends23 and .24Qslides longitudinally over the tray 11, allowing for filling of the match tray and also for opening of the box by the user. 1

In assembling the package asa unit; matches are placed in .the tray .11, whichris then inserted into the cover 12 so that the'endslfi and 17 01 L the tray are flush with the open ends 23 and 24 of the cover as in existing match boxes for safety matches or for matches which strike on any surface.

A wire 25 is placed upon the top 19 of the cover in one form of the invention so that one end 26 of the wire projects downwardly to form a stop against which the end 16 of the tray engages when the carrier 11 is slid outwardly. The opposite end 27 of the wire is held in the top 19 of the cover, after which a layer of paper is glued over the top 19 and the Wire to hold the wire '25 in place.

I preferably place a strip or coating of ignition material 28 under the top 19 of the cover at the end where the tray 11 is projected outwardly, but it also may be placed on the interior of the tray and as shown at 28 in Figure 8. I

With my package, when it is desired to strike a match, the user can pull out thetray and take a match in the fingers and, without taking the match fully out of the tray, close the cover so that the match will project out of the box and its inner end or head will engage the ignition material as shown in Figure 2. By a quick pull of the match, it may then be lighted as the match is withdrawn from the box.

' In the form shown in Figures'B and 9'the ignition material is placed on the end of the carrier. The user may place the match in a vertical position with the head or inner end against the igni- PATENT E 1 tion material and close the box, then, by a quick pull of the match, cause the match to light.

In the form shown in Figures 1 to '7 inclusive, the box is allowed to open such a distance only as will be ample to permit the fingers properly to enter the box and to withdraw a match. This opening distance is determined by the stop 26, but in theaform ofiaFigures8 and 9=the;stop-is omittedi. y

By placing the ignition material inside the box, greater advertising space may be obtained if :so: desired, but in some cases it may be desired to place the ignition materiaFbbth'on tlieinside and. outside of the box and I haveillustratedinFige ures 8 and 9 the ignition materials in bothlplacess.

The positions of ignition in the tray of Figure 8 and on the inside of the covers of Figures 1 to '7 is not in the least inconsistent and bbth are shown in Figure 10 with which the exterior/riggni-r 20 tion material may be used or not as desired.

'Tlre exterionqignitiommaterial, permitszuse; of: tliesouter;'bnxasurfacesfioriignitionzbyfthoseuwho: prefrithiseuse sands-is. nrerelyz surplusagei to ithOSBi whoatake advantageiofrmyinventiomto light the: matchess'a'gainst tlieiinteriorfiignitionzmaterial.

My invention? isi-appli'cablesto matches: havingh defiatiteheadszas indicated: in Figureclilsiandtaiso tonthes.-soscall'edlheadlessstype of: matchessv Beecauserofiither constriction ofx'theispazce through which the matches are required to pass, itr-is; desirab'lei: int: the: user of: matches: having; heads definitely enlarged; with: respecti to: tliea matchw bcdjn than the: head'f'f' material a be. made :h'ard enouglritoreliminatetlierriskzofibrea'ktngeoffiiparts. of the heads. My rinventionz is': particularly suitablec f or socalled headlesscmatchesibecause tl1ere-= needibe inol' end lob-e"; of*"head2 'of'ztheematch; as ithe striking: takesipla'cefiul ly uponx the: side 10f :thermatch. end; 49 This notonlsy eliminates: the: necessity'rforr'a; dee' cidedtendlObe of .matclr:headzmaterial-g but also reduces; the: quantityr of imatezialineedd: at: the:

sidesionthetmatclnendsa In operation, where the striking material is located as at 28 on the inside of the end of the cover, it is desirable to limit the open movement of the tray as indicated in Figure 1 in order to prevent the head ends of the matches from engaging with the striking material. Where the striking material is located as at 28 on the inside 0fthe-.-end of the :tray precaution-of this-characteriis not required. 1

In either event, whether the match be struck by movement in the direction in the length of the match in Figure 2 or in the direction of the lengtl'i -of thematch in Figure 9 the resilience of theanatchbox material assists in maintaining desirable continuedcontact of the side of the headIen-dof the matchwhether the match be headed or headlessand the striking material withinthe'box;

Inwiew. of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particularcneedwill doubtless. become evident to 'iothers iskill'ed inlthe art;it'o *obtairrupartaor all or the :benefits::of:.=my: irrventionzwithout copying:

tha-structureashown; and I; therefore, claim: all:

such inisorfar asithey fall.witlnnithevreasonable spirit andscopezofimyinventions. v

Having -gthus'; described; invention; what-(Ii claim as nema'nd; desire :torsecin'ezbyrlzetterszPat e-rrtiiss: 1,

1: A matchrboiccomprisingz'thezusual thinccover-g OfCShEBt: material; a'ztrayrsliding therein and in": I eluding sides, bottom and ends of thinsmaterial; liavinga:igni-tion material; upon :the :zil'lSi'dEi' of 3 one tlnmendiof :itsztray.

.. -2;.A\saietyrmatchibox ofzstandardzsize having:

a cover and a tram'h'avingt:endgsidecandibottom';

and: sliding therein, in. combination; with matcheswwithin i the 1 tray; having their: heads. (10? cated all at onesendsofzthe' tray;.ignitionimatee rial dEGDlZIYJ'OHZtHGEiI'lSidevfOf50118 101? :therendrwalls at that end-ion. the trayvfarthestfromztheiheads:

ofixthecmatchesi v RODNEY Si .PUL'JaENn 

